Chapter 26.5

"Alone"

"What a surprise," Jungkook said while watching the performance where the focus had shifted to Hoseok by now, "who knew a University Professor would use his spare time rapping?"

"Yeah..." Na Ri said, laughing nervously again, "I... I got to go!"

"But Na Ri-ssi!" Jungkook yelled out as he watched Na Ri run away, "it was nice being with a friend tonight..." Jungkook whispered to himself and looked at his empty glass. He let out a sigh and ordered a refill.

And one refill let to another. 

He didn't even have a number to how many beers he had been drinking, but he didn't care either. He wanted to drown himself in alcohol. Drown out his memories. His memories of her.

Her small figure, just like a porcelain doll you have to be careful with, not to break it. Her slender hands, always with painted fingernails in all the colors of the rainbow. 

The way she laughed when she was happy, and the way she cried when she was sad. The way he used to be her strength when she needed him to.

"Alone tonight?" Jungkook suddenly heard a voice and he was dragged out of his head and back to reality. He looked to his left and saw a girl standing next to him with a drink in her hand. Her hair was dyed blonde and she was wearing a tight fitted black dress which didn't even reach her knees.

"I am," Jungkook answered indifferently, "what about it?"

"I just thought you might need some company," the girl said and moved closer, while looking seductively into Jungkook's eyes.

"Maybe I do," Jungkook answered and looked at the girl with a smirk, "name's Jeon Jungkook."

"Hwang Sun Hee," the girl answered and tilted her head and swung her hair behind her shoulder in a quick and flirtatious manner.

It didn't take more than Jungkook ordering Sun Hee another drink, before they were both standing in a corner with their mouths glued to each other. Sun Hee's lips moved fast while Jungkook moved his hands from her lower back and up to her neck and then in her hair. But the feeling from her dry hair; destroyed after being dyed way too many times, seemed to bring Jungkook out of his daze. He opened his eyes and looked at the girl who was still as emerged in the kiss as before, but all Jungkook could see was how her face wasn't Min Ji's. The smell wasn't the soft fragrance of roses, but rather all he could smell was alcohol. And her touch would never feel like the touch of Min Ji's no matter how drunk he was.

"Mm wait," Jungkook said and took a step away from Sun Hee who looked utterly confused, "I'm sorry but... this isn't right."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sun Hee asked, but Jungkook just kept making the distance between them bigger and bigger.

"I'm sorry," he said one last time before he stormed out, leaving Sun Hee alone with an insulted look on her face.

As Jungkook ran outside, the cold winter breeze hit him like a wall and he almost felt sobered up, until he realized he wasn't even walking straight. He almost bumped into a streetlamp, but he used his hands to stop himself before the disaster happened.

Maybe I should just go home, Jungkook told himself, his head spinning around like a carousal.

Home, Jungkook then thought as he tasted the word on his tongue. The feeling of the word felt so comforting, so warm, and before he knew it, he had turned around, walking in the complete opposite direction of the dorm.

Even though it was already late at night, the city was still as lively as ever, making sense since it was Saturday night. People were happily walking around with their friends, family or significant other. Most people looked like they were under the influence of alcohol and they would either be noisy and disrespectful, or they'd be giggly and silly, annoying their friends to the fullest.

Looking at people only made the empty space in Jungkook's heart expand and when he saw the third couple walk by him holding hands, he decided to lower his head to the ground and walk ahead in silence.

And then, as he walked ahead, figuring his head would at least be unable to hurt any more than it already did, he suddenly felt himself bump into something; and being dizzy and confused, Jungkook fell backwards and landed on his butt.

"Ouch," Jungkook groaned in pain and looked up to get a grip of the situation, but in front of him was nothing to see, nothing you would be able to walk into.

"Ouch," Jungkook heard a female voice say and when he looked down, he saw a young girl lying on the ground in front of him.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry," Jungkook said and tried to get up quickly, but failed when he almost fainted from the headrush.

"No no, it's okay," the girl said and started searching for something on the ground, all the while her eyes kept looking into the distance. Jungkook looked down and suddenly took notice of a white cane and as quickly as he could move without passing out, Jungkook grabbed the cane and handed it to the girl.

"I think this is what you're looking for," Jungkook said.

"Ah yes, thank you very much," the girl said cheerfully and then tried to get up, but Jungkook hurried to her side.

"Let me help you," he said and the girl twitched a little, surprised by this sudden touch, but she quickly calmed down.

"Thank you so much," the girl said, looking in Jungkook's direction but her eyes didn't meet his. Those dark eyes looked right past him, but there was still a kind look in them, one that made Jungkook feel even worse about himself.

"Don't thank me, I was the one who didn't look where I was going and knocked you over," Jungkook said in a remorseful voice, "is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

"You really don't have to worry," the girl said and waved her hands in the air.

"Please, let me do something or I will not be able to live with myself," Jungkook then said and the girl stayed silent as she thought.

"Then, when bus number 7 is here, can you tell me? I feel bad for waving at every bus to ask them what number they are." The girl seemed a bit embarrassed about her request, but all Jungkook cared about was paying for his sins.

"Of course, you just sit down over here," Jungkook said and gently pushed the girl to the bench beneath the bus stop, "I will make sure to tell you when the bus is here, after all, I'm taking the same bus."

"Is that so?" the girl asked and Jungkook nodded his head, only to realize how stupid he was and he quickly said "yes" loud and clear, making the girl giggle.

While waiting for the bus, no words were exchanged between the two strangers, but Jungkook couldn't help but sneak a peak at the girl every once in a while, only to feel guilty as he knew she didn't know. It almost felt like a crime to look at her without permission. What would she be thinking as they stood here in silence waiting for the bus? Maybe she was worried being with a stranger, but then again, why was she even out this late, all alone?

The sound of a bus approaching was heard and Jungkook turned his head to look at the number but it was still too far away for him to read it, and his vision was also blurred because of the alcohol.

"Are you still there?" the girl asked, probably after hearing the sound of the bus and getting no response from Jungkook.

"Yes I'm still here," Jungkook said and squeezed his eyes together, trying to read the numbers, "it's not our bus."

"Oh okay, thank you," the girl said and leaned back on the bench again, "you know, there's room for you on the bench as well."

"No I want to stand up," Jungkook said, "if I sit down I think I will fall asleep." The girl couldn't help but giggle again and her sweet voice suddenly reminded him of Min Ji.

If only the bus would arrive faster, Jungkook thought as he looked away from the girl and tried to focus his attention on something else.

"There it is," Jungkook said as bus number 7 finally drove towards their stop, "I'll wave for him to stop."

"Thank you," the girl said.

After the bus had pulled over and Jungkook helped the girl inside the bus, he made sure to direct her to an empty seat before standing up right next to her.

"You're still here," the girl said after the bus had started driving and Jungkook felt like he was busted in the act of doing something wrong.

"Y... yes I am," Jungkook stuttered, "I just figured I would stay by your side until you reach your destination. And as I said, I don't dare sit down since I will just fall asleep."

"Alright then," the girl said and looked straight ahead into the back of the seat in front of her, "but don't be worried about me, I'm used to finding my way around by myself."

"Really?" Jungkook said, his drunken state making him unable to realize how impolite he sounded.

"Why wouldn't I?" the girl asked.

"I mean, aren't you scared of someone mugging you or tricking you?"

"Why should I be more scared than anyone else?" the girl asked, "of course I stay alert, but I won't let my disability stop me from living a normal life."

"Wow," Jungkook said in awe, "you're really strong." The girl giggled again, piercing his heart with the sound.

"Thank you," the girl said and then listened carefully as a stop was announced over the speaker.

"This is my stop," the girl said and got up, "thank you for your help dear stranger, and take care of yourself." Jungkook nearly forgot to answer until she was halfway out of the bus.

"You too," he said and the girl turned around and looked in his direction with a smile on her face.

As Jungkook was left behind in the bus, being the only passenger, he stayed put waiting for his own stop to approach, while trying his hardest not to fall asleep. Even though he was standing it was still hard and he had a long way to go.

"Last stop young man," the bus driver suddenly yelled and Jungkook woke up from his daze, looking at the stop's name.

"Ah, thank you sir, I'll get off now," Jungkook said and ran out of the bus. After being warmed up in the bus for over an hour, it felt like having a bucket of ice water poured over your body when stepping outside. While shaking, Jungkook looked around and then started running in one direction, wanting to reach his destination as soon as possible.

The house felt familiar but at the same time strangely foreign. He started looking around on the ground in the darkness, until he finally managed to find the spare key. Silently, he unlocked the door and stepped inside. He barely had time to take off his shoes and jacket, before the light was switched on and Jungkook saw his mother standing in front of him in her pajamas.

"Jungkook-a, sweetheart, what are you doing here?" Jungkook's mom said and looked at her son whose eyes suddenly got teary.

"Mom..." Jungkook said and ran into her arms, resting his head on her shoulder.

"Oh, dear son, " she said while stroking him over his head, "what's wrong?" Jungkook felt how it became harder and harder to hold back his tears and he fastened his grip around his mother as he said:

"Do you think... do you think I could sleep here tonight."

"Well of course you can," she said with a soft laughter, almost finding it amusing for her son to be asking such a question, "you can always come over, whenever you feel like getting a hug from your mother, just come. You don't have to hold back when you're here, that's what family is for."

Those words were all it took for Jungkook to finally break down in his mother's arms. All those tears he had been holding back were finally pouring out and his heart and soul felt a million times lighter already.

"It's okay, sweetheart," his mother said in her calm and gentle voice, "it'll all be okay. Just let it all out and I promise in time it will all be okay."

Hello everyone!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Remember to stay warm and eat healthy and take care of yourself. Stay safe.

Also, don't forget to leave a comment down below.

Love, Annalise~